1962 saw the introduction of the Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud III which was to be the final iteration of the factory bodied Silver Cloud series. At first glance the all-new Silver Cloud III appeared to merely be a Silver Cloud II with different headlamps. The introduction of the twin headlamps was clearly the most obvious change, but the differences did not end there. Further exterior changes included the introduction of smaller bumper over riders and the repositioning of the front indicators and side lamps into one single unit on the front wing, resulting in an arguably more attractive appearance.
Mechanically speaking the Silver Cloud III retained the 6.2 Litre V8 engine fitted to its predecessor, but it was issued with larger 9:1 compression ratio carburettors. Although Rolls-Royce did not disclose the horsepower figures of its engines at that time, it is estimated that the V8 produced around 230bhp, providing the Silver Cloud III with ample power for its size and weight. The Silver Cloud III could reach a top speed of approximately 120mph and could accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in around ten seconds, making it one of the fastest luxury saloons of its era. The car was fitted with the tried and tested excellent four speed automatic gearbox, which was smooth and well-suited to the relaxed, luxurious nature of the car.
Other improvements included improvements to the power steering system to aid smoother movement at parking speed and a Lucas vacuum-advance distributor was fitted to aid fuel consumption. The factory bodied “standard” Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud III was now almost identical in mechanical specification to the Bentley S3 Continental that was being produced at the same time.
The interior of the Silver Cloud III was the epitome of luxury. It featured the finest materials, including Connolly leather upholstery, rich wood veneers, and thick Wilton carpets. The dashboard was beautifully crafted, laid out with precision and attention to detail. The interior was designed to provide the highest levels of comfort and refinement, with attention to noise insulation and ride quality. Rear-seat passengers were particularly well-catered for, with ample legroom and optional features such as fold-out picnic tables, reading lamps, and air conditioning. The car was also equipped with electric windows, a luxury feature at the time. The total package cemented Rolls-Royce's reputation as a maker of some of the world's finest automobiles.
The lines of the standard factory bodied cars are elegant and beautiful, but very stylish coachbuilt options were also available on this chassis to Rolls-Royces discerning clientele. The famous coachbuilding houses of H.J.Mulliner and Park Ward had amalgamated by the time the Silver Cloud III was introduced, but previous designs were allowed to be developed further, albeit under the new joint badge of Mulliner/Park Ward.
The success of the Vilhelm Koren designed Bentley S2 Continental had pleased the powers that be at Park Ward and his design was adapted for the S3 Continental chassis, with the introduction of twin headlights. The coachwork did not lend itself happily to horizontal headlights, so they were instead positioned on a slight slant. Vilhelm Koren originally designed both a fixed head coupe and a drophead coupe on the S2 Continental chassis, but the fixed head coupe was never produced. However, on the S3 Continental chassis both designs were available. More importantly for the first time these designs were also offered in the form of a Rolls-Royce. The Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud III models were identical to the Bentley S3 Continentals, with only the radiator, instrumentation and badging being changed.
The Flying Spur design by H.J.Mulliner was initially introduced in 1957 and it could be argued that it was the most successful design ever created on the immediate post war Bentley Continental chassis range, being the only design offered to customers on all three series built. When the Silver Cloud III chassis was introduced, the Flying Spur design was also offered in Rolls-Royce form although it was never officially referred to as a Flying Spur. Just over fifty cars were built to Design No 2042 and are still very much sought after today. The Adaptation style drophead coupe cars were also continued onto the Silver Cloud III chassis, a design that had been incredibly successful for H.J.Mulliner on the previous two series. James Young were also responsible for building some very stylish designs on the Silver Cloud III chassis, albeit in very limited numbers.
The Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud III is highly regarded among collectors and enthusiasts today, combining classic elegance and engineering excellence. It represents the end of an era for Rolls-Royce, as it was the last of the Silver Cloud series, the last medium sized car you could buy with a coachbuilt body and the last model before the introduction of the more modern Silver Shadow model, which featured a monocoque chassis and other significant technological advancements. The Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud III stands as a symbol of British luxury and craftsmanship.
Thoughts from Frank Dale
The Silver Cloud III is a magnificent machine, encompassing so many aspects that make Rolls-Royces of all ages such wonderful motor cars to own and drive. Power, silky smooth performance, elegance and style, this model has all these attributes in large quantities. I was recently asked if I had to choose a classic Rolls-Royce to drive from Land’s End to John o’Groats in, what would be my car of choice. If a combination of speed and comfort were the basic criteria, it would be a simple choice, a Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud III. We look after countless examples in our workshop throughout the year and offer the coachbuilt designs for sale on a regular basis. We love them and think that the next generation of classic car owners will too.